You've probably been putting your antiperspirant on wrong all this time

As a fully grown adult, you probably like to think you've nailed the basics in life. Washing yourself, getting dressed, feeding yourself, that sort of thing. But who knew? You've quite possibly been doing an integral part of this daily routine wrong. Namely: putting on antiperspirant.

You might think putting on antiperspirant is as simple as applying a quick spray/rub to the pits (depending on whether you're more of a roll-on or a spray-on kinda gal), but according to Embarrassing Bodies doctor Dawn Harper, who's working with antiperspirant experts Perspirex, it's way more complex than that.

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Here's four mistakes you might be making, and I don't know about you but I am shook:

1. Applying antiperspirant straight after showering

It makes sense to put your antiperspirant on as soon as you're clean to prevent any rogue sweating. But the problem is, your pits might still be damp. "To get the best results you apply antiperspirant to completely dry skin," says Dr Dawn.

2. Putting it on in the morning

Well this is new. But apparently applying your antiperspirant should actually be part of your evening regime - not your morning one - to make sure it's fully absorbed. "Apply at night before going to bed to allow to dry fully. Leave on overnight and wash off any residue in the morning with soap and water," advises the doctor.

3. Not letting it dry

"You should allow your antiperspirant to dry fully," says Dr Dawn, who even suggests using a hairdryer on a cool setting to help it along.

4. Applying it too often

Do you put antiperspirant on every day? Er, you shouldn't - because if you get one that's good enough, there should be no need to. "Apply 2 strokes up and 2 strokes down to each armpit. You should only need to do this once or twice a week," the doctor advises.

And in case you're wondering what the difference is between antiperspirants and deodorants: antiperspirants are designed to prevent sweat whilst deodorants are used to mask the smell. Because, interestingly, fresh sweat doesn’t smell - the odour is only produced when bacteria on the skin break down the sweat.

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